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AHENRY M. RITTER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGN OR TO M. GREENWOOD AND COMPANY, 0F SAME PLACE,

Letters Patent No. 64,570, dated May 7, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN REVERSIBLE KNOB-LATGHES.

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TO WHOM IT MAY CNCERN:

Be it known that I HENRYfM. Rl'rfrnn, of Cincinnati, Hamilton county, Ohio, have invented a new and uscful'Improv'ement in Reversible Latch-Locks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification;

This is an improvement in the class of door-locks whose latch, snap, or catch-bolt is susceptible of being turned to the right or left, so as to suit either a right or left-hand door, and the invention consists in, first, a construction of said latch that enables it to be reversed, when oil' the door, by simply grasping and partially withdrawing and then turning the'head, without the necessity of a screw-driver or any other instrument, or any additional spring or other retractor, thelatch-spring proper being made effective, both for retraction in ordinary' use and for the restoration of the latch to its normal position after reversal; second, a. provision whereby the latch is made, for the time being, irreversible by the mere act of attachment to the door. A

Figure l is a side elevation of a lock embodying myimprovement, the lock being attached to the `door and a portion of the cap being removed. v

Figure 2 shows the latch and its immediate accessories before attachment to the door, the latch being at liberty for reversal. l

Figure 3 is a detached representation of the yoke and of the latch in both positions.

Figure 4 is an cud view, a portion of the faceplate being removed, showing the wood-screw in position to prevent reversal..`

A is the lock-case, and B the latch-operating hub or follower, having the customary horns Zz My yoke C has`thc usual lugs D D', to receive the impact of the horns b b in the act of retracting the latch. Thcyoke has also a stud, E, and the case a stud, E', for the engagement of the respective extremities of a spiral spring., F, which spring,`in addition to its ordinary duty of retracting the latch, becomes` also effective to restore the latch to its werking position in the lock after reversal. For this purpose the-stud E is placed ata slightlylowcr level than the stud E, so as to cause the spring to have a downward as well as a forward draught ou the yoke. Projecting from the lower rear corner of the yoke are two cheeks G G', which engage between a collar, II, and button H on the tail or stem I, extending rearward from a customary bevelled head, J; 1 Projecting forward from the yoke is an arm, K, having a lip, K', which, in conjunction with one of the wood-screws L and a stump, M, and the cylindrical portion of the hub B, restricts the yoke to a rectilinear reciprocation whenever the lock is in place on the door and the said screw driven home; while, on the other hand,al withdrawal of the said screw, by liberating the upper side of the yoke-arm K, permits said yoke to vibrate around the hub as a centre so as to enable the operator, by grasping the head of the latchbetween the thumb and the finger, to withdraw it sufficiently clear of the case to liberate it for reversal, the spring F operating to retractl the latch and yokel to their normal or resting position within the case the moment that the latch isreleased from the grasp of the operator, when the wood-screw L being inserted, the yoke and latch are again restricted to their proper rectilinear motion and the latch made for the time being irreversible. I have selected as the type of my invention a form thereof adapted to what is known as an upright lock, but the same principle is applicable to locks of various forms. A wire or plate spring, F', see iig. 6, may in-some casesbe substituted for the spiral spring to retract the latch.

I claim herein as new, and of my invention* In the described combination with the hub B, guiding-stump M, and spring F, the reversible latch IJ, adapted for retention to :r1-ight or left position by direct contact of its yoke C K with one of the wood-screws employed to fasten the lock to the door, substantially as set forth.

In testimony of which invention Ihereunto set my hand. v A y HENRY M. RITTER Witnesses Guo. H. Krmer, .Linus ll. Lanus'. 

